8:00 - 8:45 am Breakfast and Networking
8:45 - 9:00 am Mini Welcome
9:00 - 9:30 am Mini Roundtable: Developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance Frameworks for Your Organization, John Pederson, WiscNet
Find one useful application in your everyday work
Artificial intelligence can feel like a very big idea. This 30-minute interactive session makes it smaller. You’ll identify one specific part of your work where artificial intelligence might help -- drafting, organizing, explaining, summarizing, or getting unstuck -- and shape it into a practical application worth exploring.
You’ll consider the task, the result you want, and where human judgment needs to stay in charge. Leave with one small idea you can test and a clearer way to spot other useful applications.
The ideas that surface here will help seed the later governance session.
9:30 - 9:45 am Break
9:45 - 10:45 am Presentation session: The Science of WiscNet and Members Who Do Science, David Plonka, WiscNet
This year’s Wisconsin Science Festival theme – Us – the science of humans and the humans who do science– is an excellent prompt to explain and expand the work of WiscNet Research. Headed by WiscNet Principal Research Scientist David Plonka, this program supports research initiatives through shared scientific understanding, advanced capabilities, and a community of research collaborators. WiscNet is a sponsor of the annual statewide Wisconsin Science Festival, which runs from Oct. 15-25, 2026, and we’re using this partnership as an opportunity to start a conversation about us – WiscNet and its members who do science.
In this session, Plonka will share the science WiscNet is doing and share stories about WiscNet staff, interns, and members who do science. We’ll answer questions, including:
What topics does WiscNet cover with K-12 students?
What cybersecurity research is happening in collaboration with graduate students?
What AI tools do member institutions use?
You’ll learn how your organization can connect with WiscNet Research about your ongoing and future efforts. We’ll have time to discuss questions yet to be answered and research directions that WiscNet and its members might pursue together.
10:45 - 11:00 am Break
11:00 - 12:00 pm Interactive Session: Build Practical Artificial Intelligence Guardrails, John Pederson, WiscNet
Turn small applications into shared agreements. Responsible artificial intelligence governance does not have to begin with a perfect policy. It can begin with the real choices people make in everyday work.
In this 60-minute interactive session, you’ll examine small artificial intelligence applications -- including ideas surfaced earlier in the day -- and work with peers to turn what you learn into practical agreements. Together, you’ll decide what responsible use should encourage, where human review is required, what information needs protection, and how your agreements should evolve as experience grows.
Leave with a set of practical guardrails that your organization can continue to develop.
12:00 - 1:15 pm Lunch
1:15- 2:45 pm Roundtable: What's Working, What's Not Working, and What's Next?
As technology and member needs continue to evolve, this roundtable is an opportunity for WiscNet members to discuss what’s happening in their organizations, what’s working, where they’re getting stuck, and what they’re thinking about next. The conversation is intentionally broad: bring a challenge, an idea, a question, or something others could learn from. Connect with peers, compare experiences, and help shape conversations WiscNet should continue with members.
2:45- 3:00 pm Close